I have decided not to bead blast the G3WO engine as the casings are not that bad. But I am seriously wondering about putting the two crankcases halves into the dishwasher when the missus is out. Has anyone tried this and survived? I mean has anyone done this and can they recommend it? Will they be ok? I think they should be.

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

A great deal of my trusty CD175 went in the dishwasher and it seemed to work ok with a bit of finishing required after. Small bits fit in the cutlery drawer a treat.

Her indoors is off out in a minute. I reckon that she will be out for 65 mins. If I can move quickly I may be able to do a quick in and out job. If you dont hear from me again, you will know what has happened.

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

Just make sure you put them in a pre-heated oven afterwards (to dry out the small nooks and crannies that will not be dried up in the dishwasher).

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net

unless the other half is away for a few days she will know if you have used them

oh crikey! you re not suggesting that its going to make the dishwaher smell? They are in there right now and she is due back in about 35 mins!

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

While the cats away, the mice will play. Made it, they are nice and warm in the over

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

I fear this is not going to end well....
From what I have heard, some dishwasher detergents leave a blackish-gray residue on the inside of the dishwasher, as well as the crankcases. You need to seriously distract the missus and keep her away from the kitchen, maybe run another wash through with the dishwasher empty afterwards just to flush it out.
As Red Green says here in Canada , "Remember, I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together."
Of course he also says "Quando omni flunkus moritati" (Pseudo-Latin for "When all else fails, play dead").

email (option): vinver@ns.sympatico.ca

I have put lots of different metal parts in the dish washer, the problem is the salt in the washer. This turns aluminium grey. I once put a mates shiny ally coffee pot in it instead of cleaning by hand. It came out a dull grey and wont polish up again to a shiny finish. You would be better off blasting them with bicarbonate of soda or very fine beads. I use the fine beads as it's not abrasive enough to do any damage, but I have watched the bicarb method on you-tube and it looks good.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

well by a sheer does of good luck, there was not salt in the dishwasher! Anyway, they will be painted in khaki which is why I decided against vapour blasting them which is what I did with the M20 engine. They seem ok and the wife hasnt said anything yet!

email (option): andrew.honychurch@btinternet.com

I think you'd be better off not painting them! Paint (especially the matt offerings you get today) dosen't last long on such a dirty metal as aluminium and the bike starts to look tatty very quickly when it starts to lift, I'd just leave them in their natural state at least they can be bought back without stripping the engine and the paint off, fortunately Matchy cranckcases seem to be a better quality aluminium and do stay looking good for ages

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

I always blast all mine..I prefer the 'as new' look it achieves...not only that when the Missus goes out the dishwasher goes out as well.. ..Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Andrew, that looks horribly like asbestos rope round the oven door. I think that would bother me a bit.

If the cases need any further cleaning, Scotchbrite and a product for removing limescale works well to bull things up without making it shiny. Keep it moist and agitated and then rinse it off well.

I normally blast mine, but sometimes I feel it gives a too matt finish, so as Rik says use scotchbrite, but use WD40 or maintenance spray to wet it with, it seems to float out the dirt from the pores of the metal better

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

You will find that if you boil your drive chains in wax on the stove at the same time as using the dishwasher this will distract her nicely. She will be so angry with the smell of molten oil through the house that she won't even notice you have been using the dishwasher. Works every time. Cheers

John

I thought I'd got away with dishwashing my CD175 parts until she spotted black paint-flakes in the bottom. Doh!

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

Well I seem to have got away with it s far anyway! Don't worry it's not asbestos material I don't think that's allowed on ovens! I am going to paint them as that's the original finish and will paint a suitable aluminium primer on first. They may benefit from a scotch pad but in truth I spent a lot of time in the wash bath before they went into the dishwasher. I would like to try soda blasting on the next engine but I am fortunate o have a vapour blaster only half a mile from me and it brings ally up a treat. I will be blasting the timing covers and gearbox cases though.

My pre-Xmas prezzie was a blaster that can also use soda. I've used plenty of aluminium oxide (the safe kind) so far and have yet to try the soda, but I'll post some before & after pics as soon as I do.

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

Aluminium oxide is good for the initial blasting..I use a grit size that doesn't affect the castings dimensionally in any way and won't damage threads or gasket faces. I run this at about 95PSI. I then 'finish' the cases with a glass bead which gives them a nice sheen like new castings. I run the glass at 60 PSI...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

And then race the bike through the mud again

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Hi Lee..Yes the glass can be reused. It lasts well but don't run it on the higher pressures used for Aluminium Oxide..that breaks up the beads and reduces their effectiveness. Also when changing the blaster from AO to glass make sure it is cleaned out thoroughly to avoid contaminating the glass bead with the coarser AO grit...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Ian Wright

Hi Lee..Yes the glass can be reused. It lasts well but don't run it on the higher pressures used for Aluminium Oxide..that breaks up the beads and reduces their effectiveness. Also when changing the blaster from AO to glass make sure it is cleaned out thoroughly to avoid contaminating the glass bead with the coarser AO grit...Ian

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

Henk..I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing..the bike rarely leaves my centrally heated, atmospherically controled storage facility..Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

LMAO!!!!!!!

I am so glad I am single. The crumbs under the toaster are my crumbs, and I have no problems with using my stuff anyway I want.

My M20 was in the living room for several months, as was my B20, and soon, a 42 Matchy.

Cheers mates!

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

Hi Robb..your going to have trouble getting that sofa over the bikes and into the kitchen.. I had to take the front wheel and forks off my B31 to get it out of the spare bedroom and down the stairs..What were you saying in your other posting about not thinking things through?.. ..Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I've always dishwashed my bike bits with the dishwasher empty, but with the world in economic freefall, I need to watch those pennies so with the wife out, I filled the cutlery basket with the nuts, bolts and fixings from the gearbox and engine mounts to see what'd happen.





And all's well. There's no 50 weight oil on the cutlery that shared the basket and an an ultimate test, the wife doesn't suspect a thing - even when she emptied the rest.

Call it a little money-saving tip that I thought I'd share!

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

Lee

All I can say is, you’re a braver man than me.

Or maybe not…………… I think you sneaked into MY kitchen and used MY dishwasher, as I’m sure I recognise the glass pot lid and the pizza cutter. How the hell am I going to explain it all to my dear wife? Don’t do it again!

ChrisJ

email (option): lee@twowheelstested.co.uk

All this talk of dishwashers..We only got running water 2 years ago down in sleepy Devon. The Missus tried her best but I found she couldn't crank the hand pump fast enough to get the desired pressure.
So now I'm connecting an old 16H motor I found in the chicken shed to the pump handle. It should achieve 4500 strokes per minute in top gear, which works out to around a 1000psi water pressure...Now that's what I call progress..I get my M20 parts cleaned, she can go back to washing the dishes and I've found a good use for a 16H engine.. ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

That is a good use for a 16H motor.. You'd want a dependable motor for you're water supply, and to keep the missus happy

That just leaves the M20 motor to play about with in the mud

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk